Have you ever wished you could preserve the beauty of your garden blooms all year round? This DIY project will show you how to turn ordinary glass vases into stunning floral keepsakes. By decoupaging pressed flowers onto the vases, you can create unique and personalized pieces that add a touch of nature to your home.
From Garden to Glass: Upcycle a Vase with Decoupaged Pressed Flowers
As a blogger with a love for all things crafty, I’ve seen my fair share of projects. But this one? This one’s got a special place in my heart. I’m talking about transforming ordinary vases into extraordinary floral works of art.
Remember those pressed flowers you lovingly collected from your garden? Well, it’s time to give them a new life! We’re going to decoupage them onto glass vases, creating one-of-a-kind pieces that’ll add a touch of nature to any room. Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or just starting out, this project is simple, fun, and guaranteed to impress.
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Gather Your Materials
Glass Vases
For this project, you will need a clear glass vase. It can be any shape or size! I grabbed 2 different-shaped vases at Hobby Lobby for under $3 each. So I will show you 2 different vases that I decoupaged with the pressed flowers: a bubble-shaped and cylinder-shaped vase.
Check out your local thrift stores for glass vases, mine is always stocked with them!
Clean your vases before starting and remove the price tags.
Pressed Flowers
The other important part of this project is the pressed flowers. If you do not have a garden to gather flowers from, then I recommend checking out Amazon. They have tons of already-pressed flower sets for between $10 and $15, which would be enough for a few different projects.
For the fastest way to dry and press flowers at home try my quick & easy microwave method (below)! It allows you to have pressed flowers in a matter of a couple of minutes!
Microwave Method For Pressing Flowers:
- Gather your supplies: Flowers, paper towels, and 2 microwave-safe dinner plates.
- Place the flowers: Place a paper towel on the plate, gently press down the flowers, cover with another paper towel, and then the second plate.
- Microwave: and microwave on medium for 1-2 minutes ( Usually between 1:30-1:45 minutes)
- Check and adjust: Carefully check the flowers. If they are not dry enough, microwave for another 30 seconds.
- Let cool: the flowers will appear damp and will be hot, as they cool down they will become papery.
For the Decoupaging
To do the decoupage process you will need a material that will hold the flowers in place and seal them once they are on the vase. What I used for this project that worked fantastically was Triple Thick Glaze. Before I made the vases I did a test run using Triple Thick Glaze and Mod Podge (matte) on a glass yogurt jar. The glaze came out much clearer than the Mod Podge so I went with that. (I think that the glossy Mod Podge would work but didn’t have any on hand to try.)
To apply the glaze a foam craft brush works the best. You will also need tweezers and toothpicks for handling the pressed flowers and placing them onto the vases.
Most craft supply stores carry the Triple Thick Glaze. I’ve seen it at both Michael’s and Hobby Lobby. It is also available on Amazon but it’s more expensive.
Decoupage the Pressed Flowers: A Step-by-Step Guide
Now is the fun part of this project! Time to get crafty and creative.
Working in Sections:
- Start by dividing your vase into smaller sections. This will help you work more carefully and avoid accidentally damaging the pressed flowers.
- Apply a thin layer of clear glaze to one section of the vase using a foam brush and place your flowers.
Handling the Delicate Flowers:
- Use tweezers or a toothpick to carefully pick up a pressed flower. Remember, these flowers are fragile, so handle them with care.
- Gently place the flower onto the glazed section of the vase, positioning it as desired.
Adjusting and Smoothing:
- If the flower is not perfectly placed, use a toothpick to gently adjust its position.
- Spread out the petals of the flower to create a more natural look.
Adding Green Accents:
- Incorporate fern and boxwood leaves for a touch of green and added texture. These leaves can be placed between the flowers or used to fill in any gaps.
Covering the Vase:
- Continue adding pressed flowers and leaves until the entire vase is covered to your liking.
- Be creative and experiment with different arrangements and patterns.
Creating a Variety of Looks:
- For a diverse look, try using a variety of flowers on one vase.
- For a monochromatic look, use only dried hydrangea petals, as I did on the bubble-shaped vase.
Sealing the Design:
- Once the flowers are in place, let the glaze dry slightly.
- Dab a small amount of glaze over the top of each flower to seal it.
- Finally, apply a layer of glaze (dabbing gently) over the entire vase to create a uniform finish.
Achieving a Seeded Glass Effect:
- After the glaze dries completely (it will take a day), the vase will have a beautiful seeded glass look. This effect adds depth and texture to your finished piece.
Filling The Vases
Once the glaze was completely dried it was the best part of this project, filling up the vases with flowers! For the cylinder-shaped decoupage vase, I filled it with some of the Floret Flower Farm original zinnias and celosia that I grew this year.
They have been a highlight in my cut flower garden this season!
And of course, I filled the hydrangea decoupaged vase with a few Endless Summer hydrangea stems. It has been an incredible year for hydrangeas in New England and I have more flowers than I know what to do with! Not a bad problem to have.
These hydrangeas are at the right stage for drying. Once your hydrangea flowers start to turn colors and the petals lose the velvety feeling is the perfect time to clip a few for drying.
Try my fail-proof method of drying them right in a vase! All you need to do is add 1-2 inches of water to the vase, as the water evaporates the hydrangeas will naturally dry out. This method is great because it retains the shape of the petals and also the color of the flower.
And there you have it! Your pressed flower decoupaged vases are complete. Isn’t it amazing how a few simple materials and a little creativity can transform ordinary objects into stunning works of art?
These unique vases not only add a touch of nature to your home but also serve as beautiful keepsakes of your favorite blooms. Whether you display them on a coffee table, a bookshelf, or as a centerpiece, they are sure to be a conversation starter.
So, gather your pressed flowers, grab your favorite vases, and let your imagination run wild. With a little patience and practice, you can create stunning floral masterpieces that will be cherished for years to come.
Happy crafting, my friends!
See your projects featured! If you are inspired by this or any of my other DIY projects, I would love to see them and add you to the Reader’s Spotlight gallery. Send a photo to me at jennifer@cottageonbunkerhill.com
xo, Jennifer
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Would faux flowers work in the same way? Just wondering as I have a lot of those on hand….
They should stick if they’re nice and flat! Just a heads-up: if the backs of the centers are plastic, the adhesion might not be as strong. One creative workaround is to use the petals themselves to form new flower shapes.
That pressed hydrangea vase is my absolute favorite!!!! I had to share it in my weekly Nesting post! Have a great weekend my friend <3
Thanks my friend!! I appreciate you!!
Jennifer, this project looks like a lot of fun. The vases turned out very pretty.
Thanks so much Tammy!! It was a fun one to make!